Historical investigation has for its aim to fix the order and character of events throughout past time and in all places. The task is frankly superhuman. – George Santayana, The Life of Reason
Instead of having to be a member of the Royal Society to do science, the way you had to be in England in the 17th, 18th, centuries today pretty much anybody who wants to do it can, and the information that they need to do it is there. – Seth Lloyd